Change load or upgrade course

Part-time candidature

If you’re considering changing your study rate, take into account how it will affect any scholarships, the impact on your visa conditions if you are an international student, and how you will manage your time.

Domestic candidates who wish to change their study rate are required to provide:

a reason(s) for their request; and

a statement outlining how they will maintain contact with their supervisory team and meet the weekly time commitment required for their studies.

International students on a student visa will also need to contact La Trobe International before applying to change from full-time to part-time candidature.

Note that scholarship recipients are encouraged to check the conditions of their scholarship before applying to enrol part time.

Transfer to another research degree

If you are enrolled in a Master’s by Research and your supervisor and Progress Committee consider your thesis could meet the criteria for a doctorate, you may apply to upgrade using the Application to Upgrade to PhD form. You can also transfer from a PhD to a Master’s by research degree. Transfers between research degrees generally occur at progress milestones as a result of a Progress Committee recommendation or candidate request.

If you do transfer, the duration of your candidature will be changed appropriately and calculated from the day you commenced your current enrolment. If you have a scholarship it will be considered in the same way and paid from when you first commenced your current degree until the maximum tenure of your new degree.

International students holding a student visa and who wish to transfer to another degree may be subject to the approval of their sponsors (if applicable), or may be required to apply for a new student visa. Contact La Trobe International before seeking to transfer.